Operating gas-engines



(No Model.)

J. O. BEGKPELD.

OPERATING GASBNLGINBS'. No. 417,624. Patented Dec. 1'7, 1889.

INVi-iNTOR,

BQQMLM amma/64w NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CHARLES BECKFELD, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

OPERATING GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,624, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed May 29, 1889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN CHARLES BEcK- FELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Gas-Engines, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In order to obtain an explosive mixture in the power-cylinder of a gas-engine it is desirable in startingthe same to rotate it two or three times by hand or other auxiliary power. This is comparatively easy in operating small engines, as but little power is required to impart the necessary initial'revolutions; but great difliculty is experienced in starting engines of one hundred or greater horse-power.

The object of the invention herein is to provide fora constant supply of fluid-pressure, which can be admitted to the power-cylinder of the engine when it is desired to start the same.

The invention claimed is hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, Figure 1 shows a gas-engine in elevation having my improved fluidpressure generator connected thereto, the generator being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of controlling-valve mechanism, showing the valve in position for the escape of liquid, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the valve mechanism and its inlet and outlet connections. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified construction of the upper portion of the generator, and Fig. 5 is a similar view of the lower portion of the generator having a hand-actuated valve applied thereto.

The gas-engine A, which may be of any suitable construction, is connected by the pipe 1, provided with a valve 2, with a casting 3, having passages therethrough connecting with the interior of the shell or reservoir B. The casting 3 is provided with check valves 4 and 5, the valve 4 being so constructed and arranged as to permit of the flow of fluid-pressure from the reservoir to the engine, but will. prevent back-pressure Serial No. 312.504. (No model.)

from the engine, and the valve 5 is constructed to permit the inflow of air into the shell A. The shell A is connected at or near its lower end through the valve mechanism 0 with the water-mains of a city or other suitable source of liquid-supply under pressure. This valve mechanism is provided with a passage 6, having lateral ports 7 and 8, the port 7 communieating with the shell or reservoir, and the port 8, which is above and preferably at right angles to the port 7, communicating with the supply-pipe 9. The passage 6 communicates at its lower end with the escape-pipe 10 and opens at its upper end into the cylinder 11. The upper end of the cylinder 11 is connected by a passage 12 with the valve-chamber 13, Which is connected by the pipe 14 with the supply-pipe 9 and by the pipe 15 with the outlet-pipe 10. The valve 16 in said chamber is constructed to conneotthe passage 12,

in accordance with its position, with the pipe 14, leading to the supply-pipe, or with the es cape-pipe 15.

The piston 17, arranged in the cylinder 11, is provided on its under side with a stem 18, having on its lower end a valve 19, adapted, when shifted by the piston 17, to permit the water. to flow from the supply-pipe by the passage 6 and port 7 into the reservoir, as shown in Fig. 1, or to permit the water in the reservoir to escape by the port 7 and passage 6 into the outlet-pipe 10, communication between the supply-pipe and port? being closed by the valve, as shown in Fig. 2. The handle 20 on the stem of the valve 19 is connected by a rod 21 with one end of a lever 22, pivoted in a stand 23 on the shell B. The other end of this lever is connected to a rod 24, extend ing down through a stuffing-box 25 into the shell or reservoir B. WVithin the shell or reservoir is arranged a float 26, having an opening therethrough for the rod 24, said opening being of sufficient size to permit the float to move freely along the rod 24, which is provided with shoulders 27 and 28, adapted to engage the float and be shifted thereby.

In describing the operation of the apparatus itwill be supposed that, the tank being empty, the float has moved the rod 24, and with it the lever 22, rod 21, and valve 16, into the positions shown in Fig. 1, thereby permitting water to flow from the supply-pipe 0 by the pipe 11 and passage 12 into the upper end of the cylinder 11. As the area of the upper face of the piston 17 is greater than that of its lower face, the piston and its valve 19 will be shifted down by the excess of pressure in the upper surface of the piston, thereby opening communication between the ports 7 and 8. It will be understood that as the float moves down during the emptying of the reservoir the secondary fluid-i. 6., gas or air-will enter through the port controlled by the valve 5, and that as the secondary fluide. g., water-flows into the reservoir, as stated, the secondary fluid will be placed under a pressure proportional to the pressure of the primary fluid in the city mains or other source of supply, and this pressure will remain constant, as more water will flow in as the air is drawn off by the engine. As soon as the float is raised so as to engage the upper stop or shoulder 27 and, continuing its movement, shifts the rod 24 and, through the means hereinbefore stated, the valve 10, the cylin tler 11 will be cut otf from communication with the supply-pipe 1i and connected with the escape-pipe 15, as shown in Fig. 2. The escape of water from the upper end of the cylinder permits the pressure on the under side of the piston entering through the port 8 to raise the piston and valve, thereby cutting off communication between the ports 7 and S and connecting the port 7 with the outlet 10, as shown in Fig 2.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a constant supply of fluid under pressure is antomatically maintained in the reservoir, and can be utilized for starting the gas-engine by turning the valve 2. In case the operator neglects closingthe valve 2 before an explosion occurs in the power-cylinder, the checkvalve 4 will prevent any injury to shell or reservoir.

In lieu of the autoinatically-operated valve mechanism 0, hercinbefore described, a threeway hand-actuated valve 29 (shown in Fig. 5) maybe employed for regulating the flow of water to and from the reservoir.

In order to preventwater from entering the passages in the casting 3, in case the operator neglects to shift the valve 29 at the proper time, the float 26, which in this form of ap paratus is preferably made in the form of a ball, as shown, is provided on its side with a cushion or bearing-surface 30, adapted to close the outlet-passage from the upper end of the reservoir. The float is guided in its seating movement by astem 31, passing through suitable guides in the casting 3.

An indicator-tube 30 is attached to the reservoir near its upper end, whereby the operator may be informed as to the proper time to empty the reservoir.

'hile the fluid-pressure generator is shown as connected to the low-pressure cylinder of a compound gas-engine, it may be also employed with any other form or construction of gas-engine.

For the purposes of this invention the engine A may be considered as of the same type as is fully described and shown in an application, No. 276,266, filed June 0, 1888, wherein provision is made for operating the engine by means of fluid-pressure admitted into the low-pressure cylinder and thence exhausted into the air, the movements of the piston of the low-pressure cylinder being transmitted to that of the high-pressure cylinder through the crank-shaft. It will be readily understood that in such an engine the high-pressure portion may be operated by an explosive gas and the low-pressure portion by fluid-pressure from the generator, the two portions or engines, as they might very properly be termed, being independent of each other except for their connection to a common crank -shaft, and, if desired, a small auxiliary engine operated by the fluidpressure in the accumulator and connected by abelt or other suitable means to the shaft of the engine A'may be employed.

By connecting the inlet-port controlled by the valve 5 to a gas-receiver, as shown in Figs. 1 and t, gas may be compressed in the reservoir B and then utilized in the engine A.

The principal characteristic of my inven tion is an apparatus whereby I am enabled to transfer the pressure normally resident in one fluid which is not adapted for use in an engine to another fluid capable of such use, the apparatus being pr ferably so constructed as to be capable of automatic action.

If desired, a tight-fitting piston or a movable diaphragm may be employed in lieu of the float for operating the valve mechanism controlling the inflow and escape of the water.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. The combination of a gas-engine and a fluid-pressure accumulator operated automatically independent of the engine and connected by a pipe to the power-cylinder of the gas-engine, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a gas-engine, an engine operated by fluid-pressure, and a fluidpressure accumulatoroperated automatically independent of the engine and connected to the fluid-pressu re engine, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a gas-engine, a reservoir, a valve for the admission of gas or air to the reservoir, a valve for the discharge of gas or air under pressure to the engine, and a valve for the admission of water under pressure to the reservoir and its subsequent discharge, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a gas-engine, a reservoir, a valve for the ad mission of gas or air to the reservoir, a valve for the discharge of gas or air under pressure to the engine, a valve for regulating the flow of water to and from the reservoir, and a float controlling said valve, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a gas-engine, a reservoir connected thereto, said reservoir being provlded With an inlet for a secondary fluid -normally free from pressure and adapted to be employed in operating the gas-engine, and an inlet for the admission of a primary fluid normally under pressure, whereby pressure maybe transferred from one fluid to the other, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a gas-engine, a gas or air pressure accumulator connectedto said engine, and a fluid-pressure supply connected to the accumulator, whereby the gas or air is subjected to a pressure to be employed through a valve and piston mechanism to operate the gas-engine, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a gas-engine, a gas or air accumulator, valves and pipe-connections for the admission of a secondary fluid to the accumulator and its subsequent passage to the engine, a valve and pipe-connec- JOHN CHARLES BEOKFELD.

Witnesses:

R. H. WHITTLESEY, DARWIN S. WoLoo'rT. 

